Oysters Carbonara
Prep & cook time 25 mins – Serves 4
Ingredients:
200g dried vermicelli pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
24 shucked oysters, on shell
125g mild pancetta, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300ml thick cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Method:
1: Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, cook the pasta according to packet directions, drain, refresh and toss in half a tablespoon of olive oil to keep the strands separate.
2: Remove oysters from shells, rinse the shells and set both aside.
3: Heat remaining oil in a pan over medium heat, add pancetta and cook for 2-3 minutes until starting to crisp; add garlic and cream and cook for 1-2 minutes until reduced by half. Add parmesan and parsley, season and keep warm.
4: Pour boiling water over pasta, drain, then divide between shells.
5: Place an oyster on top, drizzle with sauce and serve while still warm.
Oysters Rockefeller
Prep & cook time 50 mins – Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 shallots, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dash Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
24 oysters, shucked
Rock salt
Lemon wedges, to serve
Method:
1: Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced .
2: Sprinkle a baking pan amply with rock salt. Arrange the oysters in the salt to steady them.
3: Melt butter in a frying pan; sauté the garlic for 2 minutes to infuse the butter.
4: Place the bread crumbs in a mixing bowl and add half the garlic butter, set aside; to the remaining garlic butter in the pan, add shallots and spinach, cook for 3 minutes until the spinach wilts.
5: Season ingredients in pan with salt and pepper; add a dash of tobasco sauce. Allow the mixture to cook down for a few minutes.
6: Finish off the bread crumbs by mixing in olive oil, Parmesan and parsley, season with salt and pepper.
7: Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the spinach mixture on each oyster followed by a spoonful of the bread crumb mixture.
8: Bake in for 10 to 15 minutes until golden.
9: Divide oysters among 4, sprinkle with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
Coriander & Ginger Scallops
Prep & cook time 15 mins – Serves 2
Ingredients:
1/3 cup lime juice
5cm piece ginger, peeled, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
12 scallops on the shell
1/3 cup coarsely chopped coriander leaves
Method:
1: Remove scallops from the shell.
2: Combine lime juice, ginger, sesame oil and brown sugar.
3: Heat a frying pan over a high heat. Cook scallops for 1-2 minutes each side or until just cooked through.
4: Serve in shells or alternatively, in a small stack.
5: Drizzle the dressing over the scallops. Place scallops on a serving plate and pile coriander leaves in the centre.
Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters
Prep time 5 mins – Serves 6
You can make the tomato mixture (step 1) up to 1 hour ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge
Ingredients:
1 cup chilled tomato juice
80ml chilled vodka
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2-3 drops red Tabasco pepper sauce, or to taste
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
6 oysters, removed from shells
6 x 8cm-long pieces celery, to garnish
Method:
1: Combine the tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco in a large jug. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
2: Divide oysters among six 30mL shot glasses. Pour over the tomato mixture. Garnish with a piece of celery and serve immediately.
Oysters Kilpatrick
Prep & cook time 20 mins – Serves 4
This recipe can also be used with scallops in the shell, it will blow you away!
Ingredients:
2 cups rock salt
24 oysters, shucked
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
300g thin rashers rindless bacon, diced
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
Lemon wedges, to serve
Method:
1: Preheat grill on medium-high heat. Place rock salt, in a thick layer, on a baking tray or heatproof plate. Arrange oysters (in their half-shells) on rock salt.
2: Sprinkle Worcestershire sauce over oysters. Top with bacon. Grill, on the salt, for 5 to 8 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
3: Divide oysters among 4, sprinkle with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
Scallop, Mango & Prosciutto Salad
Prep & cook time 30 mins – Serves 4
Ingredients:
500g scallops, roe attached
1 ½ tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 slices prosciutto, halved crossways
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 ripe mangoes, cheeks removed, flesh cut into 1cm-thick slices
1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 fresh long red chillies, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced lengthways
1/3 cup coarsely chopped coriander leaves
Method:
1: Place the scallops on a large plate and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the sugar. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat; add the scallops, sugared-side down, and cook for 2 minutes; sprinkle with 2 tsp of the remaining sugar, turn and cook for 1-2 minutes or until caramelised and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
2: Add the prosciutto to the pan and cook for 1 minute each side or until crisp. Remove from heat.
3: Combine the remaining sugar, oil and lime juice in a small bowl.
4: Arrange the mango and onion on serving plates. Top with the scallops, chilli and prosciutto, and drizzle with the lime dressing. Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve immediately.
Scallops with Garlic & Parsley
Prep & cook time 20 mins – Serves 4
Sautéed spinach or buttery jasmine rice goes well with this dish
Ingredients:
500g cleaned scallop meat
1/4 cup Olive oil
50g butter
4 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup if finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste
Method:
1: Heat large frying pan over high heat. Once the pan is really hot, add a thin smear of oil.
2: When the oil is nearly smoking, add the scallops. Unless you have a really big pan, do this in two batches or use two medium sized pans. Don’t be tempted to cram the scallops into one or they won’t sear properly. The temperature will drop rapidly and they will stew, not fry. Cook on the first side until they are a deep crusty brown. This caramelised crust gives the dish a wonderful flavour. Turn and repeat on the other side. The time will vary according to the size of the scallops. About 1 to 2 minutes per side.
3: Repeat above step if doing two batches.
4: Add the butter to the pan and, as soon as it’s foaming add the garlic and parsley. Warm through, then return the scallops to the pan with salt and pepper.
5: Toss them in the mixture just to coat, squeeze over some lemon juice and serve immediately on a bed of lightly sautéed spinach, or even some buttery brown jasmine rice. Garnish with lemon wedges.
Scallop Lemon Linguine
with spinach, lemon zest, & garlic
Serves 4
Ingredients
500 gm FISHO scallop meat
500 gm spaghetti (Fresh or dried)
30 gm butter
60 ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ C lemon juice
3 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp lemon thyme leaves (normal thyme also works nicely)
1 tsp caster sugar
100 gm baby spinach
Method
1. Cook pasta as per packet instructions until al dente. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat butter & tbsp oil in a large frying pan over med-high heat. Add scallops & garlic – cook, tossing for 3 to 4 mins until scallops are just cooked.
3. Whisk lemon juice, lemon rind, thyme, remaining 2 tablespoons oil & sugar together in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
4. Add lemon dressing to scallops, quickly stir through, followed by drained pasta & spinach – toss well to combine.
